LA Kings defenseman Slava Voynov is expected
to receive a pretty hefty raise in a
new contract this summer.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After the Los Angeles Kings won the 2012 Stanley Cup Championship, President/General Manager Dean Lombardi made good on his promise to bring back all of his players back for the 2013 National Hockey League season, giving them a solid chance to defend their championship.

One year later, the Kings advanced as far as the Western Conference Final, but only to be stopped in their tracks by the Chicago Blackhawks. But now, Lombardi is faced with that same challenge of trying to keep his team intact.

But can he? A huge obstacle in his path is the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which calls for a $64.3 million salary cap in 2013-14, considerably lower than the current $70.2 million.

“It’s unfortunate, the way this Collective Bargaining Agreement worked for us,” Lombardi lamented. “One of the by-products of going slowly was to be able to build this thing, and keep it together. We were clearly on that path, with $6 million in cap space this year, and we brought the whole team back.”

ANAHEIM, CA — Corey Perry scored a breakaway goal and another in the shootout to lead the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings in front of a standing-room only crowd of 18,494 fans at Honda Center in Anaheim on April 7.

Ducks forwards Kyle Palmieri opened the scoring at 2:54 of the first period after Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr was unable to clear the zone along the left wing boards. Ducks forward Matt Beleskey got the puck to Palmieri, who skated past Kings left wing Jordan Nolan, who got caught flat-footed. Palmieri went in alone on Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who made the initial save. But the puck hit Palmieri’s skate, and bounced into the net.

LOS ANGELES — Justin Williams and Jeff Carter scored goals on the Los Angeles Kings’ first two shots of the game, just 1:38 apart, leading their team to a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Wild in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,118 fans at Staples Center in Los Angeles on April 4.

Williams opened the scoring just 1:29 into the first period, finishing off an outnumbered attack with a blistering snap shot from the right circle, beating Wild goaltender Nicklas Backstrom over his right shoulder.

LOS ANGELES — Dustin Penner, Drew Doughty and Jarret Stoll, scored goals, and Jonathan Bernier made a career-high 40 saves to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes in the second of back-to-back games at Staples Center on March 19.

The Kings won the opening round of this two-game match-up on March 18, 4-0.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Features exclusive video of post-game interviews—footage that KingsVision did not get—with Jonathan Bernier and Tyler Toffoli.

LOS ANGELES — Kyle Clifford scored two goals, Jarret Stoll scored a goal and tallied an assist, Trevor Lewis contributed two assists, and Jonathan Bernier made twenty saves, including one on a penalty shot, to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a decisive 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,118 fans at Staples Center on March 16.

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